1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a switch assembly, and in particular to a switch assembly having a replaceable switch cap.
2. The Prior Arts
A conventional switch assembly generally includes a switch member having a middle portion pivotally connected to a base and a pressing piece connected to one end of the switch member. When the switch member is operated, the pressing piece pushes a conductive piece such as a bi-metallic strip to electrically contact with another conductive piece, thereby forming a closed circuit.
However, different machines or products need different shapes of switch members. Especially on a machine having multiple switches, the switch members having various shapes or colors corresponding to different functions are used. Therefore, the user can easy distinguish the switch members and does not operate the wrong ones. It needs various molds to manufacture the switch members in various shapes and therefore the manufacturers have to prepare a lot of molds. Producing molds is expensive and time consuming. The high cost for molds make the switches to be less competitive in the market.
CN 2,646,858 discloses a fuse-less switch assembly and includes a case, a switch member and a switch cap. The switch cap is connected with the switch member and the switch member has a middle portion pivotally connected with the case. The switch member includes a pressing piece to push a free end of a bi-metallic strip. The switch cap includes connection portions to be connected with connection holes of the switch member. By modularization, the case and the switch member can be made in mass production so as to be connected with the interchangeable switch caps having different shapes or colors.
Nevertheless, the connection portions and the connection holes are respectively located at two sides of the switch cap and the switch member, the connection portions tend to shift relative to the connection holes after a period of use and even disengage from the connection holes.